setting up PB13 ultra and lsim705

gurot1

Here are a few pics, finally opened up the box last night, but it was late, so didnt get to really play around with it. I thought I had my cd on repeat last night, but I was wrong, so need to break it in today. Amazingly, it doesnt look as big and overwhelming as I thought it would!

gurot1

I think I will move my towers a bit wider. If I only go.six inches wider per tower, then the sub can stay where it is, although it does make for some.nice to climb for the almost 2 year old. Other plan is to move it to the inside of the left channel and move the entertainment console to the right 18 inches and with centre channel still under the tv.

gurot1

Argg, went to run REW to see what effect the bass traps had on my sb2000 at its original position to compare it to pre basstrap measurement and macbook pro keeps on freezing during or right after bootup.

gurot1

Finally got a chance to run a couple of sweeps. Initially laptop decided to freeze up, so I ended up using my old desktop with an integrated soundcard. Then when laptop all of a sudden came back to life ran a sweep using it. On laptop I get some popping noises during initial portion of sweep. Tried sb2000 and noise still there. Noise not there when running from desktop. Also noticed the REW results totally different bw laptop and desktop.

gurot1

The Macbook had less ringing at the lower frequencies and port tune of 16Hz compared to desktop which measured higher spl at lower frequencies especially port tune area compared to higher frequencies about 40 hz.
I tried to post the data files, but looks like only images can be posted...I did not save images of the REW waterfalls

mikeyb128

Try the 20hz tune, with room gain the sub should still hit around 15hz, and you won't be sacrificing output. Mine measured 16 hz with the 20hz tune while corner loaded. These subs excell in the lower frequencies, I noticed a loss of mid bass slam when going from a sb ultra to the pb. Sub eq helps with that. Don't get to hung up with rew sweeps, I've been there and done that, obsessing over the sweeps, the question is does it sound good to you? I know you don't have the time but since you have two, I highly recommend setting both up and go from there, 2 of them are incredible, and helps with any issues you may be having with your room.

Also regarding the bass traps, I use some prime acoustic traps, and they recommend a certain amount of air between the wall and panel to be fully effective. I'm sure yours are helping though, but it's something to think about.

gurot1

I've been reading up on bass traps last few months and head is spinning! I went with superchunks, so the panel in front is jus to make it look nice. I had been trying to get my sb2000 in same position as before to measure before and after, but the panel is in the way lol...and now I dont know how much to trust my previous results due to the way my Macbook has been acting. I did notice there seemed to be less room rattling than before bass traps and nothing picked up the 80 hz null (or something like that) that I had previously. I do have a new null around 117hz or something thereabouts according to rew.

I hear what you mean about just set it up and enjoy it! I still have to rerun room calibration now that sofa is a few more inches from wall and different sub...also have to place first reflection treatments on wall and one behind centre channel. I want to get a movie in this week.

I am debating usind the 20hz or sealed configurations as well. So many options so little time to try them out!

gurot1

Also looking at maybe a used svs AS-EQ1 in the future

gurot1

Waiting to be unboxed this week!

ken brydson

gurot1 wrote: »

Waiting to be unboxed this week!

This WEEK?

gurot1

I know, it should have been over two weeks ago! But. Life has been getting in the way, not to mention the little guy not sleeping early, and I don't want to be unboxing and moving sub when he is around as he might decide he wants to play with it when I am not home!
Last night I did break out the measuring tape. Looks like I can move front speakers about 4 inches wider and still have enough room to shove the second ultra in the corner.

gurot1

Had five minutes, moved the first sub to the corner (I only have one set of furniture sliders! Need thrm for the sub in corner!

gurot1

I still can't believe how puny the sub makes the lsim705 look. Having the second one on the left will make them even more imposing on the room. Hopefully will set it up tomorrow and find out how well the house's foundation holds up lol. Had been hoping to move the right channel a few inches to the right but sub doesn't leave much room. Other option is to move the right speaker closer to wall and move sub in between the entertainment stand and right channel, but it will look odd as the second sub will be to left of left channel and it won't be symmetrical. Last option would be to ditch the stand and put centre channel on top of two subs in middle!
Enough typing diarrhoea...time for bed

mikeyb128

You really have everything stuffed in there. Too bad the tv can't be moved over to the left more, and move the whole audio rack with it, might give you more room to work with.

gurot1

Thats the problem with me wanting to keep the window area open for light. The tv mount will only allow about one more inch of movement. I could move the rack to the left a bit and just have the centre channel move over to the right on the rack...the top shelf of the rack is just the tv shelf from our armoire lol. The room is closed on the back side; the width of the room at the back ends at about the spot of the white pillar at opening at the front of the room. Lol I could use the subs as stands for the center channel. Don't know where are the equipment would go! Would an assymetrical setup be ok audiowise (each sub to the left of corresponding speaker?

DaveHo

Have you thought of stacking the two subs? If you don't have any bass irregularities you're trying to smooth out by placing the subs in different positions, you will almost always get better bass response by co-locating them.

gurot1

Never thought about stacking them.. Wow, that would really be imposing, it would dwarf everything else lol. Once I unpack sub 2 it might be an option, but I do have some smoothing out required for bass in the room.

gurot1

Thank goodness for furniture sliders. Moved rack and left speaker to the left and moved sub in between rack and right channel. Moved right channel to right about a foot...might be too close to wall now...might put a 3 or six inch safensound panel beside the right channel.

rpf65

I think you should look into another rack. Maybe 2 wide and 3 high would work better.

gurot1

that rack has sentimental value It was my first build after I learned how to use a saw and tools. Before we moved to this house eleven years ago all I knew about was a hammer, screw driver and wrench here and there. I took down one of the first shelved when I put up on the wall when I made my bass traps recently: I put the shelf bracket on wall and the anchor through the bracket and into the hole in the wall lol

I built the rack so that it was below the window...all the ikea and other stands were too high.

Paradoxex

During the day do you open the blinds up? It's an odd setup having the TV right in front of a window. Makes everything much more complicated by restricting the lateral and vertical space.

I know you touched on this...but does the back of that room have a window? Would it work better?

mikeyb128

The rack idea will give you more room. Maybe repurpose the rack in a second setup?

gurot1

Paradoxex, you are correct, that is a window there. I put the tv on a mount for that reason as I can move it into the corner of the room and clear up.the majority of the space in front of the window. It is a walkout basement, so all that light is much appreciated! I had built that rack before I spent much time here and before the rabbit hole opened up! At that time I think I had an avr, a dvd player, a cd player and a satellite receiver. A set of rti10's and Lsim705's later and a change in centre channel from.csi3 to csi5 to lsim706 and let's not even talk about power amps etc! I added that shelf ontop off the rack a year or so ago due to growing components and it raised centre channel a bit without obstructing the window too much. Nothing in stores matched the dimensions I needed so I made it. First real project on my own!

mikeyb128, I would love to repurpose it, however with the kids, that aint gonna happen lol.

I was thinking eventually I might get an up right rack and put it in the corner, but nothing immediately.

gurot1

Finally unboxed second sub. Much more efficient this time and did it myself while the little ones asleep..i was ninja quiet. Set up the subs assymetrical, looks better in real life than in pics. First few pics are living dangerously as no grill on..not safe with kids in house that use the basement!


Breaking it in at low volume now that kids awake.

Joey_V

Reading this thread... I enjoy the craziness. Dual PB13U... sweet...

gurot1

Had an ah sh@# moment. Ran some rew sweeps of subwoofers and then decided to rerun avr mcacc. It says problem with right front. Take a look and notice right channel speaker wire not connected to speaker. I pick it up and try to get it to move, but it was stuck under something. As I went to put it down, I saw a spark as the positive and negative wire met! Turns out I had forgotten to power down everything (I am usually so good with that). Tv turned off and blinking red led. I hit the power buttons on my power bars and waited a few minutes. Turn them back on and play a cd and speakers are working. However avr (pioneer 9040) not outputting to tv. When selecting tv inputs it can tell that the avr is on and that the separately connected bluray on another input is on but when I choose their input it says no signal. The satellite hdmi input displays sattelite and the chromecast hdmi working. I try chromecast in all inputs and they working. I try hookingg ps3 up to rv and it works as well. I hook up cd to analog in of pioneer and it plays through ht bypass on preamp as it should. Looka like an hdmi issue. Only thing not tested is to see if audio from ps3 hdmi works through pioneer avr. Not sure if problem with tv or avr.

Even after unplugged everything for half hour same result.

gurot1

All I had wanted to do was run a quick calibration so we could watch a movie last night! I wasn't even going to tweak anything...full auto.

gurot1

REW waterfall for both subs. Need to add room compensation. Also huge null around 110hz...

gurot1

Haha, yup the old machine still has xp. Looking to change it to Linux. My newer desktop is too cumbersome to move around for house. Had to move desktop into home theatre area to run REW.

gurot1

Newest layout which is more aesthetically pleasing. No chance to run sweeps yet or even listen to it yet.